Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-09-28

w hat has happeneuF
She told him that which we know, and
when she had finished he said:
$50 You are in debt 1Od, 900 francs Very
well. l will give them to you, only the sum Is
so large for ME 10 spare that it will take me
fifteen days at the least to get it together
VIII your creditors wait until then!7
a think so, when | tell them they can have
it then. But at least tell me- will it injure
the prosperity of your business to spare this
sum: will not accept it if it does
"Be tranquil on that score"
Besides, Roger, | only accept it as loan
TO repay. | will be wiser hereafter. Since l
have your love what else do | want. Is that
not enough to fill my iife7
She left the store first for fear of olrserva-
ton in so crowded place Yet. with all her
preCaution, a man followed her home, and
when she had gone up stairs TO her apart
ments he asked the porter who it was, and he
answered readily and unsuspiciously, Mime
de Nolrvile, the lawyers wife,
Fifteen days later Roger gave her the
money and she was saved
Grave events took place in France at this
time. War with Prussia was declared, and
one day Roger Laroque and Lucien, to their
r.
the same regiment, the Sixth cavalry When
Roger met Lucien his first movement was to
draw back, but Lucien held out his hand joy
fully. as if glad to ste him there
The life III common, the dangers and diff
culties surmounted together, the thousand
painful incidents of the campaign, valiantly
borne, brought them together in spite of
Roger, who felt his conscience prick him at
every kind word and every grasp of the hand
Lucien gave him.
Roger felt every day growing deeper in his
heart singular sense of need of repairing by
some heroic action the wrong he had done
Lucien, as far as 1t lay in human power, even
with his own blood. But Fate was infexible
and favored Lucien alone, for one day IN
reconnaissance Roger received a spent ball on
the head, which rendered him insensible.
Balls whistled around them, and as he fell
those who saw him thought him dead The
dragons were approaching and the French
had to fly, but Lucien, who was strong.
seized Roger and laid him across his horse,
and squirting the poor creature followed his
comrades with his burden
An hour later Roger regained conscious
ness and mounted his own horse, which had
followed the rest in their flight. Roger was
somber and shamed and his bruws drawn as
he sand:
Il owe you my life. God is my witness
more"
Lucien smiled and reached out his hand
81 know you are, Roger. Let us say no more
about it. This is common 10 warfare
Roger spoke no more, but grew more and
more somber and melancholy, but his friend
ship for Lucien grew deeper and greater.
The 1st of September came. The battle Of
Sedan commenced with dawn. Roger and
Lucien were in the leat of it, when an obus
burst, crushing both Llcien's legs. Witness
to this dreadful wound Roger with his troops
were obliged to leave the battlefield with the
other refugees, almost wild with grief and
horror, and having before his eyes the specter
of his dead friend
Roger hid under the ramparts of Sedan,
and fell asleep from fatigue and slept until
evening fell, when he awoke and thought of
Lucien Poor friendl" said he He died
| doing his duty; i must do mine. ! will find
him and bury him there, where he felln
He went out of the city, though broken with
hunger and WEAKNESS, and with stick for
u.
| After long search he found him living upon
the ground with both legs crushed. But
Lucien's heart still beat family in spite of his
horrible wounds. Then Roger had a hope.
If it were only possible to save himl He
heard voices and called loudly, and in
French he received his answer, and soon some
of the Red Cross society with a stretcher
| came. When he showed them Lucien they
| said:
''He is dying. 1t is useless to move him y
"But he is not dead"
"We cannot save him. No one could;
and there are hundreds of others who are
| wounded needing us now"
But Roger duplicated them, and at last
| they placed Lucien on the stretcher and tool;
him to the surgeons, who looked at him and
| said:
at is useless to spend our time with him,
| while we might save others He has but a
| few minutes to live
Desperate, Roger took his way to surgeon
who lived in the city, and by dint of prayers
| gained permission to bring Lucien to his
house, and though be also considered the case
utterly hopeless, promised to do all he could
in the forlorn hope of saving the wounded
man. Roger gave the doctor his own and
Lucien's address and what money he had,
and left The next morning be was prisoner
and was taken to Coblentz, where he was
kept for two months, when he escaped.
He wrote to the doctor, but got no answer
and be tried to get into Paris to see his wife
and child, but uselessly, so he joined the army
which was fighting at Loire. Again he was
taken prisoner, and again escaped. After
the commune he returned to Paris, and found
his wife and child well, though mourning him
Tor dead. At once he telegraphed to Sedan
TO Dr. Champeaux, who answered; sNoir-
vile out of danger; amputated both legs;